Thinking outside the box

100 Days of Giving is about hope, healing and simple gifts in times of difficulty and creating opportunities for each of us to have fun with unique ways of giving.

Each day of the 100 Days of Giving includes a daily reflection for you to consider. Included within the 100 days are interludes, bonus times to stop and reflect. While you are reflecting...be sure to remember to "like 100 Days of Giving" on Facebook!

Today's Reflection is About Thinking Outside the Box: Day 51

All 100 Days of Giving are available as an e-book you can purchase it for $3.99 at Smashwords: 100 Days of Giving e-book at Smashwords or for your Kindle at 100 Days of Giving e-book at Amazon and get all of the daily experiences, journaling exercises and stories.

Day 51:  Your daily reflection: Think outside the box today when you give...

For your daily giving journal:

• What did you give today?
• How did you surprise the recipient with your gift?

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Please feel free to write about your experience in the comments section, share with someone else, or keep to yourself...whatever works for you, just keep in mind that one of the most important part of giving is being open to receiving and the more you share with others, the more you will receive in return. As difficult as receiving may be for you, it is an essential part of giving, so challenge yourself and give receiving a try, or a "do...there is no try, only do."

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Now that 100 Days of Giving is available as an e-book you can purchase it for $3.99 at Smashwords: 100 Days of Giving e-book at Smashwords  see coupon in sidebar for Smashwords and get all of the daily experiences, journaling exercises and stories.

To read today's interlude click on this link: Think outside the box

To read about all 100 days's giving experiences you can download the e-book in a variety of formats at:
 100 Days of Giving at Smashwords

or through Amazon for your Kindle: 100 Days of Giving e-book at Amazon

And now available "From The Eye of The Hurricane" eBook a collection of short stories and poems that sets the stage for, and provides the back-story for "100 Days of Giving"

From The Eye of The Hurricane available at Smashwords
From The Eye of the Hurricane eBook

Day 87 ❦ Fill Someone’s Cup...or Boot

Day 87 ❦ Fill Someone’s Cup...or Boot

The Gift: Change/Coins

Today my giving opportunity came right over to my car while I was sitting at a red light. I am going to count this opportunity, although I do not know if I could say I gave it willingly, nor happily. I live on a little one-way side street in our town. The address is very difficult to find because there are only a few houses on the one-way and  the street is a small half circle in a town whose streets all face north and south or east and west. I like it that way. But this week, I don’t like living where I live because I have to turn from one of the busiest intersections in town at one of the only stop lights in town.

I have just finished grocery shopping and am stopped at the stoplight, several cars from the beginning of the line, fortunately, at least I have time to start digging. Ahead of me I can see firemen, we have no firewomen in town (can you believe I actually had to add that word - firewoman, to my spell check dictionary??). The fire trucks are stopped at the intersection and the firemen are all out of the truck. They are approaching each stopped car in full gear with a fire boot, going car to car asking for drivers to fill their boot. On the corner, I see one of the guys working the traffic controls, so I know I am going to sit here until I cough up some money.

Now, I have no grudges against the fire department, in fact, I appreciate them very much and have had several occasions to call them to my home, again stories for another day. But I travel enough and go through my ”smart-traveler” safety in my mind that I get a little panicky when I feel like I am being held hostage. And, because of an incident years ago when myself and another relative were kidnapped at gun-point and held for a brief period of time - I find myself having an uncomfortable reaction when I feel like I am going to be taken again. So as the fireman approaches my car, which is going to be held here until I comply and put money into the boot I panic. My palms start to sweat, I can’t breathe and my brain is racing. Frantically digging through my purse, I realize that I have no cash - I’d had to write a check at the grocery store...what am I going to do. He is almost at my window and I start digging through the box that I keep between my two front seats looking for anything to put in there. I can’t breathe.

I am mortified and embarrassed as he approaches my window and signals me to roll it down. All I have is a handful of change which I drop in his boot. As I do so, I realize I am almost on the verge of tears and I can’t stop shaking...great - he is going to think I was caught doing something wrong and have his friend at the police station check up on me. I know now that that is really irrational thinking, but I am in the midst of a full blown panic attack. I quickly roll up mu window, lock my doors and count to ten before I open my eyes. Shortly after that, the light turns green and we are released and I go home. It takes a little bit before I can sink back into my skin. For all that excitement, I am going to use that as my giving opportunity today. Giving done. Willfully and gratefully, no, but giving done.

❦ Breathe.